Can't Ignore This War
by letsplaypretend
Summary: You had been someone else, someone innocent, but then the world fell apart and you had to put it together with just spit and Harry, and now things were different. *H/G, not Epilogue compliant, T for vague character death and cursing*


**what is supposed to happen.**

You're to marry a good boy _the one your parents picked out for you and made you love from the beginning_ who is loved by your entire family.

You're going to be a housewife and have lots of kids _named after his father and godfather and the war-heroes who died and your best friend and his mother_ and a large house that is perfect for the house parties you're supposed to love so much.

You're supposed to die _content _just after he does so everyone can know how much you loved each other_._

That's not what happened.

Because the man you fell in love with might have been that boy at one point but things changed _you changed he changed and the world, too._

And you never even really wanted kids _not even one, nasty whiny little things that needed your entire life to be given to them and you only had room in your heart for one other_ and he had grown up mistreated and didn't want a family except you.

Content wasn't enough, not nearly. Content was for Ron and Hermione, who were _happy arguing all the time and never going anywhere_ satisfied, but not for you and Harry.

.

**how it deviates.**

The sky is crying and the rain mixes with the tears on your face. You know when he comes up behind you that things are different _how could it not be the world just fell apart and you with it_ but that one thing will always stay the same.

His voice is quiet.

_I love you._

That's all he says.

_I love you._

You look into green eyes _that have seen the world and laughed at its joke_ and smile, not ready to talk yet _it's too soon too early too much_.

He nods. It's nothing he doesn't expect _he knows you better than anyone even if they've known you since you were nothing but cells and he only dated you months, loved you years_.

You know he's leaving. He couldn't stay here _things have changed and the man who wanted nothing but to settle down wants nothing but to leave_.

You ask where he is going.

_France._

That's not far enough away.

_You can always visit me._

You stop him. _I'm coming with._

He doesn't argue.

.

**when the world turned red.**

You knew they wouldn't take it well _they are still your family so you still feel bad but nothing except the apocalypse could stop you from going with Harry_ but you didn't care.

You didn't expect this rage, this redness that seems to surround you _and it's not just the hair that is one of your family's trademarks but the rage that is the other _but you take it, because they are family that has lost one of their own and you love them.

That tolerance for them ends when the arrows stop piercing you heart and start puncturing Harry's.

_We trusted you with our sister._

_How can you leave us now?_

_Why do you not want to stay, haven't we done so much, given so much for you?_

Harry will take it you know because he was never taught anything else was love _and even though that hasn't changed not yet but it will_ but you protect Harry _always have always will _and this cannot be tolerated, because once you show one weakness they will be hunters and take advantage and find the others.

_Stop._

Your voice is quiet _you have learned from Harry that sometimes quiet means strength not always rockslides and avalanches but wind through trees water over stones_ but they stop, almost against their will, and you smile.

Not a nice smile.

They all take a step back, this time _scared a shiver down their spines and you know that finally they realize you are not truly their Ginny but someone different that they don't know_ instinctively, a predator's response to a greater hunter. You wouldn't admit it, but their fear gives you a thrill one that _makes you smile again, this time harder stronger better _makes you cautious.

_We're leaving._

They begin to protest, you can see it in their eyes, and so you laugh the laugh of a _predator with its prey backed into a corner and nowhere to run_ girl with nothing to lose, because that's who you are now.

_I wouldn't stop us, were I you._

They don't even try.

.

**watching the pieces move together again.**

France is beautiful, you decide, but it's not far enough away. It's still too close to _the wreckage that was dreams and life but is no more _home and the family that left you, not the other way around _no matter what they may say you know the truth_.

You tell him that at the top of the Eiffel Tower. He wraps his arms around you and you lean back, reveling in _warmth, the reassurance that others may have left you but he never will_ the scent that is pure Harry, grass and broom polish and calm.

_We can't run forever_.

You laugh, warm and happy because he is with you and not them and you are here and not there and because you are happy.

_We can try._

This time he laughs, a rumble from behind you that _sends warmth all throughout your body and makes you wonder if the world you had dreamed of when you were young was ever as nice as this reality _makes you smile with him.

_Ron and Hermione sent an owl_.

His voice is quiet. His friends had been furious with the two of you, and so you have been reading all his mail from them before he does _not that you will ever tell him that because Harry needs to think he is strong and he is, but sometimes he needs to let you be strong for him_ to ensure he will be given time to heal.

_And?_

He is still for a long moment until you begin to wonder if he will ever answer. It doesn't matter if he does, you know, because you know what they said and it is not worth the energy to think of it anymore, but if he doesn't tell you he doesn't trust you _that is why you know he will tell you, because Harry trusts you more than anyone_.

Then he takes a deep breath.

_I've always wanted to see America._

Twin laughs ring out across Paris, lingering even after the two of you pop out of existence.

.

**when the happy ending finally arrived.**

You have never seen a mountain as big as this one, and the view from the top is amazing. Harry is awestruck, too, just as much as you are _but he is more obvious about it with the large smile that is currently adorning his face_.

Your face is turned up to the blue sky that is so much closer than it even has been before _and you wonder if this is what God feels like, so close to the heavens_. You glance across the platform to share your amazement with Harry, but cannot find him.

At first, you do not allow yourself to panic. He had disappeared before, although never without telling you first _because he always wants you to come along_. You run over to where he was, where there were so many people who could have seen him _had to have seen him because he cannot be gone _and can tell you where he went.

_Have you seen a tall man with black hair and green eyes?_

You sound calm, but when they very deliberately shake their heads no, you panic.

_He could not have gone far_.

You have never been very good at lying to yourself, and now you are even worse.

Keeping a calm exterior, you stroll around the deck, surreptitiously glancing around for _your lover your best friend your everything _Harry.

He is no where you can see him.

You see a flash of black and green and you race across the wooden platform _fuck stability control that may be Harry it has to be_ but when you arrive he is not there.

_Goddamnit!_

A cough by your elbow has you covering your mouth, conscious of the fact that you just cursed around little kids _you may have left the Ginny who loved kids behind but you still don't want to teach them how to curse before they are ten there is no need any more for them to grow up so early_ and you mutter an apology.

There is another cough, followed by a tap on your waist. You spin around _ready to tell off whoever is stopping your complete freak-out_ but stop when you see Harry.

On his knees.

With a box held up to you, a shining ring gleaming in the scant sunlight.

You slap him.

_How dare you worry me so?_

That isn't what you had thought you would say, _words like fuck yes and oh my god is this really happening come to mind_, but they are pure you and Harry's eyes dance an apology and it's all okay.

_Sorry, my love._

You shake your head, telling him without words _the way you always have been able to do with him, but no one else_ that was okay but he better not ever _not once, not if you are to be spending your life with him like he is asking you to _do that again.

He raises the velvet box a little higher, and your eyes go the ring _it's so beautiful _almost against your will.

_Marry me?_

The kiss you give him is his answer.

And as he slides the new ring onto your finger, you know that the Ginny you had been _before the world fell apart and you had to put the pieces together with nothing but spit and Harry_ would have wanted his mother's ring but you are fine with this one, because you have Harry and he has you, and that's all you need.

.

**Let me know what you think.  
Jayme.**


End file.
